Cape Town: The Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) has officially re-opened the Chris Hani to Cape Town leg of the Central Line to commuters, bringing this critical rail artery to near-total recovery. This development marks a significant step in improving the rail infrastructure in the region.
According to South African Government News Agency, the Central Line is a vital rail corridor for Cape Town, connecting the communities of Khayelitsha and Mitchells Plain to the Cape Town CBD and the Bellville CBD. At full capacity, the Central Line contributes 350,000 daily passenger trips out of Cape Town’s 685,900 daily passenger trips. Minister of Transport Barbara Creecy highlighted the line’s importance during the launch of the Chris Hani-Cape Town line, which is part of the Presidential Rail Project aimed at revamping and improving rail infrastructure in South Africa.
The line’s reopening follows extensive repair works on stations, substations, Overhead Traction Electrification (OHTE) systems, and more. A fully recovered Central Line has the potential to return a considerable number of commuters to rail, thereby easing the city’s traffic congestion. With a 12-car Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) train capable of transporting approximately 2,400 passengers, the gains in affordable, safe, and efficient public transport are substantial. The recovery of the Central Line provides Cape Town residents with a safer commuter experience, shorter travel times, and a more integrated mobility environment. The affordability and increased mobility offered by passenger rail have the potential to provide the working class with greater economic opportunities.
The Central Line’s significance in PRASA’s rail service in the Western Cape is underscored by its recovery after a halt in services due to theft, vandalism, and the occupation of perways along various parts of the route. The return of the Chris Hani station and service reflects the synergy and collaboration between various tiers of government, law enforcement agencies, and communities. The recovery process faced challenges, including illegal occupation and vandalism, but the result is a safe, reliable, and modern rail corridor connecting people to opportunities, work, and education.
The Minister shared the impact of recovering the Central Line, noting that Cape Town had 53,000 daily passenger trips in April 2024. With the reopening of Philippi and Nolungile stations, this number rose to 104,000. The completion of Kapteinsklip’s second line by December 2025 is expected to increase daily trips to 162,400, with a further rise to 342,951 by April 2026. This progress signals a move towards an optimal service characterized by improved frequencies, recovered signaling, higher train speeds, and enhanced connectivity, benefiting the commuter community for both peak and off-peak travel.
The target for 2026-2027 is the delivery of an optimally operating service with fully recovered signaling, 90km/h speeds, a digital environment, and compliance with safety standards. The recovery process, which includes replacing and repairing overhead signaling equipment and substations, refurbishing stations and perways, and relocating track occupants, has cost R 1.3 billion. During this process, over 2,500 direct jobs have been created, and 53 Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) empowered, contributing to local economic upliftment.
PRASA has successfully revived 35 out of 40 service lines as part of restoring passenger rail services nationwide. Currently, two trains depart Chris Hani Station per hour on the Central Line. As signaling capacity increases, PRASA aims to operate an optimal service with six trains per hour. In Cape Town, the Southern Line is 98% re-signaled, and the focus has shifted to fully restoring signaling on the Central Line, with completion scheduled for the end of the 2026/2027 financial year, which will increase service frequency and allow more regular, punctual passenger service.
The reopening of these lines has led to a significant increase in passenger trips nationwide, reaching 77 million over the past year. This figure is projected to reach 123 million in the current year, indicating a clear trajectory towards the goal of 600 million passenger trips by 2030/31.